Jordan’s Prince Hamzah Under House Arrest for Criticizing the King

Amman, MINA – The half-brother of Jordan’s King Abdullah II said he had been placed under house arrest for accusing the Kingdom’s “government system” of corruption, incompetence and harassment.

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein’s video footage statement on Saturday came after the Jordanian military denied reports of the former crown prince’s arrest.

However, Prince Hamzah said he had been asked to “stop some movements and activities being used to target Jordan’s security and stability”, Al Jazeera reported.

The military said the warning to Prince Hamza was part of a broader security investigation in which a former minister, junior members of the royal family and others who were detained.

The prince, however, insisted he was not part of the conspiracy. He said in a video sent to the BBC by his lawyer that he was “not allowed to go out, to communicate with people or to meet them.”

Prince Hamzah said he had been told he was being punished for taking part in a meeting where the king had been criticized, although he said he was not accused of joining in the criticism.

People are no longer allowed to criticize the authorities or express opinions “without being intimidated, harassed or threatened,” he said.

Prince Hamza added that the welfare of the Jordanian people “has been placed second by a system of government which has decided that its vested interests, financial interests, corruption are more important than the lives, dignity and future of the 10 million people who live here.” (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)